Self-winding watch movement



Oct. 22, 1957 G. A. LANGEL SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 7, 1953 By 9M4 Oct. 22, 1957 5. A. LANGEL 2,810,255

SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 7, 1953 2 Sheets-$heet 2 /0 H2 34 H4 22 2e 24 82 84 3a X 1 1 United States Patent SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Grard A. Langel, Besancon, France, assignor to The United States Time Corporation, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 7, 1953, Serial No. 384,591

Claims priority, application France October 7, 1952 4 Claims. (Cl. 5882) The present invention relates to a self-winding mechanism for watch movements. It is particularly adaptable to Wristwatches although it will be understood that it also may be adapted to watch movements in general. A particular feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a rotor having an eccentrically disposed weight which is free to revolve through an indefinite number of rotations in either direction in which rotation may be started.

Movement of the rotor in either direction through fractional or complete or repeated revolutions is transmitted to the winding mechanism of the watch in a single direction of rotation so as to be available for winding the watch spring.

A further feature of the present invention is that the self-winding mechanism herein provided may be readily attached to watch movements of standard design, thus making it possible for a manufacturer to supply a particular movement with or Without the self-Winding feature. Only very slight modifications must be made on the standard movement to adapt it to receive the self-winding attachment provided in accordance with the present invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by Way of example a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a self-winding mechanism em bodying the present invention showing the same assembled with a watch movement, and in which certain parts have been omitted and others have been broken away for clarity in illustration;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the broken line 22 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the broken line 33 in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a watch movement indicated generally at is provided with a rear frame plate 12 and a front frame plate 14 (see Fig. 2). The usual mechanism contained in such watch movement has been omitted except for the going barrel 16 and first wheel 18 which rotate together upon the winding arbor 20 extending between the plates 12 and 14. It will be understood that the main spring of the watch is enclosed within the barrel 16, being attached at its inner end to the winding arbor 20 and being frictionally engageable at its outer end against the inner surface of the barrel 16. The latter provision prevents damage to the main spring due to overwinding inasmuch as increasing tension upon the main spring tends to reduce its diameter and thus its frictional engagement with the inner surface of the barrel 16. At a predetermined point in winding of the main spring the pressure between the outer end thereof and the inner surface of the barrel 16 will be so reduced as to permit the main spring to slip within the barrel whereupon additional rotation of the winding arbor in a winding direction will be ineffective to further tighten the coils of the main spring. Such overwinding-preventing apparatus is old and well-known and forms no part of Patented Oct- 19.5.

2 the present invention except that such apparatus or its equivalent should be provided.

To adapt the movement 10 for the attachment of the self-winding mechanism of the present invention, the winding arbor 20 is extended beyond the rear frame plate 12, as seen in Fig. 3, to receive a winding gear 22 which may be secured to the winding arbor for rotation therewith in any suitable manner. In order that the winding gear 22 may be readily attached after the movement 10 is otherwise complete a spring retaining washer 24 having a flatsided central opening may be interlocked in retaining position with a suitably shaped groove 26 formed in the winding arbor 20.

A casing ring 28 is secured to the front plate 14 and constitutes in effect a lateral extension thereof to permit casing of the movement in a case of sufficient size to accommodate the winding mechanism to be described. The casing ring 23 may be of any suitable shape for the particular case in which it is intended to position the movement. For example, as shown herein the casing ring 28 is circular in external outline and is provided with notches 30 for positioning the movement in proper relation with the case. A manual winding stem 32 extends from the movement 10 for a sutficient distance to provide for attachment of the usual crown (not shown).

A winding frame plate 34 is provided to support the various operative parts of the self-winding mechanism and to attach the same to the movement 10. The frame plate 34 may be provided with appropriately positioned integral mounting brackets 36 and 38 for attaching the same to the movement 10 in proper spaced relationship. As shown in Fig. 3, the bracket 36 is perforated to receive a pillar screw 40 of the movement 10. The bracket 38 is similarly perforated to receive a pillar screw 42. Also the frame plate 34 may be provided with integral lugs 44 and 46 which are bent downwardly and are of the proper length to bear against the rear frame plate 12 of the movement so as to contribute to rigid positioning of the frame plate 34 relative to the movement. Preferably the frame plate 34 is provided with a cut-out portion 48 and openings 50, 52 and 54 to provide access to parts of the movement 10 and of the self-winding mechanism.

A rotor 56 of generally semi-circular shape Provided with a semi-circular weighted flange 58 is secured to a hub 66 freely rotatable upon a stud 62 fixed in a depressed portion 64 of the winding frame plate 34. The stud 62 is provided with a head 66 to retain the hub 60 thereon. A cam 68 may be formed integrally with the hub 60 or otherwise fixed for rotation with the rotor 56 about the stud 62. A spacing washer 70 may be positioned upon the stud 62 between the cam 68 and the frame plate 34. The parts just described are so constructed as to provide for extremely free rotation of the rotor 56 while at the same time maintaining the rotor against lateral movement or vibration.

The cam 68 (see Fig. 1) has a high point 72 and a low point 74 which are diametrically opposed and joined by smoothly contoured symmetrically curved faces defining a generally heart-shaped contour for the working surfaces of the cam.

A generally straight lever 76 is freely pivoted at 78 to the winding frame plate 34 and carries toward its free end a roller 80 which is positioned to bear against the working surface of the cam 68. A bell crank lever 82 is similarly pivoted at 84 to the frame plate 34 and is provided at its free end with a freely rotatable roller 86 which is positioned to engage the cam 68 in a position substantially diametrically opposite that in which the roller 80 engages said cam. The lever 76 has pivoted thereto adjacent its free end a click 88 having a nose 90 engage able in the teeth 92 of a winding ratchet wheel 94. A

blade 96 of a spring indicated generally at 98 is arranged to bear against a tail 100 of the click 88 to urge the nose 90 thereof into yielding engagement with the teeth 92 of the ratchet wheel 94 and also to urge the lever 76 to rotate clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1, whereby to press the roller 80 into constant engagement with the surface of cam 68.

The bell crank lever 82 has pivoted on the end opposite the roller 86 a click 102 having a nose 104 for engagement with the teeth 92 of ratchet 94. Another blade 106 of the spring 98 is arranged to engage a tail 108 of the click 102 to urge the nose 104 into engagement with teeth 92 and also to urge the bell crank 82 to rotate clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 whereby to press the roller 86 into constant engagement with the surface of cam 68.

While the spring blades 96 and 1 36 may take any conventional form, a simple and effective form is shown in Fig. 1 wherein these blades are formed in one piece with the body 98 having a tail 110 which projects into a suitable opening 112 in the plate 34. The body 98 is perforated to fit freely over a stud 114 and is thus held stationary.

The winding ratchet 94 is fixed to the stud 114 which projects through the frame plate 34 and also has fixed to it a pinion 116 positioned on the opposite surface of the plate 34. The pinion 116 is so positioned as to engage the winding gear 22 which is fixed to the winding arbor 20 of the movement 10.

From a consideration of the detailed description hereinabove presented, it will be apparent that any rotative movement of the rotor 56 relative to the winding frame plate 34 will be effective to rotate the heart-shaped cam 68. Thus, irrespective of the direction or extent of such movement, one or the other of the rollers 80 and 86 will be moved outwardly with respect to the rotor stud 62 while the other of said rollers will be permitted to move inwardly thereof. In the event the roller 80 is moved outwardly the straight lever 76 will be swung counterclockwise and the click 88 carried thereby will be effective to impart a proportionate amount of clockwise rotation to the ratchet Wheel 94. Such rotation is transmitted by the pinion 116 to the winding gear 22 and thus to the spring contained within the barrel 16 of the movement 10. Inward movement of the roller 80 will result in clockwise movement of the lever 76 and idle clicking of the nose 90 over the teeth 92 of ratchet 94. Similarly, outward movement of the roller 86 of bell crank 82 will rock the latter counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 and the click 102 will thus be effective to impart clockwise rotation to the ratchet 94. Inward movement of the roller 86 will result in idle clicking of the nose 104 over the teeth 92.

As a result of the heart-shaped contour of cam 68, all angular movement of the rotor 56 in either direction will impart equal and opposite movements to the levers 76 and 82 with an accompanying advance of the winding ratchet by one or the other of the clicks 88 or 102. In the event of extensive or repeated revolution of the rotor 56 in a single direction the levers 76 and 82 will alternately perform operative strokes in opposite phase. The present construction offers decided advantage over prior constructions in which pendulums and the like are used, inasmuch as there is no need in the present construction for limiting stops, shock absorbing mechanisms and the like. Furthermore an unusually great amount of winding effect is realized from the irregular motions imparted to a watch in normal use due to the fact that there is substantially no movement of the rotor 56 which is ineffective to produce winding.

The apparatus just described is so arranged that all of the parts except the Winding gear 22 may be assembled in operative relation with the winding frame plate 34 prior to attachment thereof to the watch movement 10. Thus the assembled winding mechanisms may be attached as needed to movements which have been provided with a winding gear 22 and otherwise may be identical with a 4 standard line of movements normally cased for manual winding.

I claim:

1. In a self-winding watch movement having a main spring, the combination of a rotor having an eccentrically weighted rim portion, means mounting said rotor for free and unlimited rotation in either direction relative to said movement, a cam fixed for rotation with said rotor, said cam having a generally heart-shaped Working surface comprising diametrically opposed high and low points, a first lever pivoted at one end and having adjacent the opposite end a first follower and a first pawl, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having adjacent one end a second follower and having adjacent the opposite end a second pawl, spring means yieldably urging each of said first and second levers independently of the other to press said first and second followers respectively into engagement with diametrically opposed portions of the working face of said cam, a ratchet wheel, means for transmitting rotation in one direction only of said ratchet wheel to said main spring for winding said main spring, and each of said first and second pawls being yieldably urged independently of the other into engagement at spaced points with said ratchet wheel for rotation of said ratchet wheel in said one direction upon movement of either of said followers away from the center of rotation of said cam.

2. In a self-winding watch movement having a rear frame plate and a main spring, the combination of a winding plate secured to said rear frame plate, a rotor having an eccentrically weighted rim portion, means mounting said rotor on said winding plate for free and unlimited rotation in either direction relative to said movement, a cam fixed for rotation with said rotor, said cam having a generally heart-shaped working surface comprising diametrically opposed hi h and low points, a first lever pivoted at one end on said winding plate and having adjacent the opposite end a first follower and a first pawl, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said winding plate and having adjacent one end a second follower and having adjacent the opposite end a second pawl, spring means yieldably urging each of said first and second levers independently of the other to press said first and second followers respectively into engagement with diametrically opposed portions of the working face of said earn, a ratchet wheel mounted for rotation on said winding plate, means for transmitting rotation in one direction only of said ratchet Wheel to said main spring for winding said main spring, and each of said first and econd pawls being yieldably urged independently of the other into engagement at spaced points with said ratchet wheel for rotation of said ratchet wheel in said one direction upon movement of either of said followers away from the center of rotation of said cam.

3. A self-winding attachment for a watch movement having a rear frame plate, a main spring, a Winding arbor on which said main spring is mounted, and a winding gear fixed to said winding arbor and positioned rearwardly of said rear frame plate, said attachment comprising a winding plate adapted to be secured to said movement in a position rearward of said rear frame plate, a rotor having an eccentrically weighted rim portion, means mounting said rotor on said winding plate for free and unlimited rotation in either direction relative to said movement, a cam fixed for rotation with said rotor, said cam having a generally heart-shaped working surface comprising diametrically opposed high and low points, a first lever pivoted at one end on said winding plate and having adjacent the opposite end a first follower and a first pawl, 21 second lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said winding plate and having adjacent one end a second follower and having adjacent the opposite end a second pawl, spring means yieldably urging each of said first and second levers independently of the other to press said first and second followers respectively into engagement with diametrically opposed portions of the working face of said earn, a ratchet wheel mounted for rotation on said winding plate, each of said first and second pawls being yieldably urged independently of the other into engagement at spaced points with said ratchet wheel for rotation of said ratchet wheel in one direction upon movement of either of said followers away from the center of rotation of said cam, and a pinion fixed for rotation with said ratchet wheel, said pinion being so positioned on said Winding plate as to engage said Winding gear whereby to transmit rotation of said ratchet wheel in said one direction to said main spring for winding said main spring.

4. In a self-winding watch movement having a main spring the combination of a rotor having an eccentrically weighted rim portion, means mounting said rotor for free and unlimited rotation in either direction relative to said movement, a cam fixed for rotation with said rotor, said cam having a generally heart-shaped working surface comprising diametrically opposed high and low points, a first lever pivoted at one end and having adjacent the opposite end a first follower and a first pawl, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having adjacent one end a second follower and having adjacent the opposite end a second pawl, a ratchet wheel, means for transmitting rotation in one direction only of said ratchet wheel to said main spring for winding said main spring, and spring means yieldably urging each of said first and second pawls independently of the other into engagement at spaced points with said ratchet wheel, the pressure of said spring means against each of said first and second pawls being effective through said first and second levers respectively also to yieldably urge each of said first and second cam followers independently of the other into engagement with diametrically opposed portions of the working surface of said cam whereby upon any rotation of said cam in either direction one or the other of said cam followers will be moved in a direction away from the center of rotation of said cam and such as to move the associated lever and pawl in a direction to rotate said ratchet wheel in said one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,894 Huguenin July 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 251,175 Switzerland July 16, 1948 254,851 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1949 271,427 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1951 279,353 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1952 284,841 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1952 286,915 Switzerland Mar. 2, 1953 378,243 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1932 

